Name: Adjust Your Tracking: The Untold Story of the VHS Collector
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2013-10-03
Duration: 1 h 24 min
Rating: 7
Cast: Lloyd Kaufman, Anthony Timpone, Keith J. Crocker

Adjust The Mediocre: An Insight to Retrophilia?

This 2013 documentary: "Adjust Your Tracking: The Untold Story of the VHS Collector" by Dan Kimen and Levi Peretic explores the idea of collecting analog media: 80s/90s VHS cassettes. It consists of archival material including TV commercials from Blockbuster stores to movie previews along with an 80s retro-styled (VCR "blue screen") title cards. These references are inserted in between point and shoot interview segments of talking heads with interior location shots of each VHS collection.

In some ways the filmmakers were able to gain the trust of mostly twenty-something, White middle-class men. Each interviewee lets the filmmakers into their personal spaces from dark basements to apartments. They discussed their initial comings of collecting habitual experiences in "hunting" unique films from exploitation and Horror genres. One particular film, shared by their collective hunting was the search of the low budget 80s film, "Tales from QuaDead Zone" (today these original VHS copies are of value from hundreds to a thousand dollars). Even discussing some of the main media distributor of exploitation and Horror genres such as Wizard Video and Vestron VHS distribution labels.

Some are professionals and other passionate aficionados of its video taped cinema. Although people may tend to refer to these situations as retro culture or seeking nostalgia - it is more about a generational response of society's transition into the digital realm. 90s era Millennial (and 80s Gen Xers) youth got to experience and understand analog culture reminding this coming generation not to forget.

This strength of this explorative document stays within the opinion realm of these collectors, staying from actual facts or scholarly representation from media studies. The most notable figures as media cultural references were independent filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman; horror journalist Tony Timpone and media critic 42nd Street Pete. Their work has been grounded in the 70s/80s era Grind House cinema and direct-to-video media distribution, which were segments way too short.

On the other hand, this film is one fine example of how these collectors and their gatherings and conventions really helped to regain an interest from the media industry in being back VHS physical media or even the idea of renting analog material. For example, mainstream theatre franchises such as Alamo Drafthouse in different cities have video rental services. Some may label the interviewees as "hoarders" but with the film interior shots of each collection, one can see how they care for the media. Their collection consists of shaving each VHS box in protective sleeves along with an organized system, alphabetically-ordered according to genre, movie titles, etc.. This film footage could have really explored interconnectedness amongst these featured collectors. Is it a "brotherhood" of defying mediocrity within Suburbia? The scene of the VHS 1st Collectors Convention or "Swap Meet", could have been longer showing how they organized and marketed to its community.

Again some of these featured collectors have been able to make a living, or work within the arts, "vlogging" and media distributing. In fact, specific interviewed collectors have an influence on sustaining physical media, having it available today.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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Adjust Your Tracking: The Untold Story of the VHS Collector

A documentary capturing the modern day VHS culture and VHS collectors.

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Adjust Your Tracking

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